At the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage phase, New Zealand’s Monica Spencer leads aboard her 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Artist with a score of 22.3, improving on their previous best from Maryland. Spencer praised Artist’s expressive movement and trainability, emphasizing her focus on steady progress and taking each day as it comes. Close behind is fellow Kiwi Tim Price on Vitali, a 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding known for strong dressage but weaker show jumping, scoring 22.6. British rider Tom McEwen holds third with Brookfield Quality on 25.1, while top U.S. competitor Carolina Pamukcu is fourth with HSH Blake at 26.6.
Both Spencer and Price anticipate a challenging cross-country course designed by Derek di Grazia, highlighting its technical difficulty and demanding nature typical of a five-star event. Spencer aims to maintain her lead by playing to her horse’s strengths, while Price remains hopeful for a breakthrough performance despite past setbacks. The cross-country phase begins tomorrow at 1:30 p.m., promising an exciting test for the top contenders.
